About

The Lifelong Learning Platform is an umbrella that gathers more than 40 European organisations active in the field of education, training and youth. Currently these networks represent more than 50 000 educational institutions and associations covering all sectors of formal, non-formal and informal learning. Their members reach out to several millions of beneficiaries.

Events

Policy debates

The LLLPlatform organises policy events on transversal issues such as the access to lifelong learning or learning mobility. These events are a tool to exchange good practices coming from the various sectors represented in the platform. The goal is to see how a same problematic is tackled in a university, in an association or in a training centre, by the parents, the teachers, the school heads, etc. This lifelong learning approach is central.

Such policy events also enable the members to discuss with representatives of the European institutions in order to confront their realities to the policies implemented at national or European levels. They represent a unique opportunity for our members to push forward some proposals and to discuss openly with public authorities representatives.

Past Policy debates

European Parliament, 3 December (11’00-13’00)
It is essential today that all citizens acquire digital and media competences in order to ensure their interactions with media are positive and enriching. Media literacy should not be treated as an isolated or independent skill. It is a necessary part of active citizenship and is key to the full development of freedom of expression and to the right to information. It is therefore an essential part of participative democracy and intercultural dialogue. Educators all over Europe are confronted with […]

European Parliament – 2 December (13.00-15.00)
The Lifelong Learning Platform welcomed the 2012 Council Recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning (VNIL) as it gave a political impulse for Member States to speed up the building of validation systems. Significant progress has been made in the last few years, especially with regard to the development of the legal frameworks and strategies. However more efforts should be made in order to increase the potential benefits of validation for a wider […]

Organised by ESN, EFIL, EEE-YFU and EucA, with the support and facilitation of the LifeLong Learning Platform, this thematic workshop explored the issue of quality learning mobility, both from the policy and from the practice perspective.The workshop wished to help participants get a better understanding of the implementation of current instruments for quality learning mobility, in particular the European Quality Charter for Mobility, and offer a space for joint reflection on the kind of support […]

European Parliament, 2 December, 16.30-18.30
How can the development of cooperation, critical thinking, shared responsibility, communication and active participation be strengthened in Europe? How can we move from a culture of individualism and competition to a culture of collaboration and solidarity? How can we strengthen the intercultural dimension of education so that it really contributes to social transformation and sustainability? How to ensure that the complexities involved in education, such as identity and nationality, culture and diversity, rights and responsibilities, dignity […]

We are what we do, and yet, only part of what we do is recognised by others, namely employers and formal education institutions. But how many young people and adults engage in non-formal and informal learning processes? How many volunteer? How much do these activities add not only to their competences and skills, but also to their personalities? And in spite of the huge benefits such activities produce, quid of their recognition and validation? These were the questions asked during […]

Population ageing will continue with accelerating pace in the next decades. Today half of the population is 40 years old or above while in 2060 half of the population will be aged 48 years or above. These trends require some considerable societal adaptations regarding work, family life and social protection. Many European practices, as well as research, show that intergenerational learning can be a strong boost for improving learning take up and attainment as well as a sense of solidarity. It is about learning together […]

Thu 11 December, 14:00-16:00 // University Foundation, Rue d’Egmont 11 (Metro Trone), Brussels
The seminar is organised by the Bertelsmann Stiftung in partnership with EUCIS-LLL in order to present the results of the foundation’s study on transferable elements from variousvalidation systems in Europe. The visualization and acknowledgement of informally and non-formally acquired competencies is very important on an individual level to empower and engage citizens for a path to Lifelong Learning. Especially since the general trend towards higher qualifications is reducing […]

Wed 10 December, 09:30-12:30 // University Foundation, Rue d’Egmont 11 (Metro Trone), Brussels
The social dimension of lifelong learning has been neglected in the 1st cycle of the Europe 2020 and ET2020 strategies. Learning is powerful in getting people more engaged in society in its economic, political and social dimensions. Providing high quality learning opportunities to all and especially to the most disadvantaged is crucial not only for our ageing workforce to cope with ever more competitive and changing labour markets, […]

Tue 9 December, 15:00-18:00 // European Economic and Social Committee, Citizens’ Auditorium (Room REM-1), Rue Belliard 93, Brussels
There has been a growing support for long-term investment in education and training from the EU, stakeholders and citizens. However, although our socio-economic models rely heavily on quality education, budgets are shrinking in most EU Member States. There is a clear lack of coherence between the call for sustainable investment in growth-friendly areas, such as education, and the call for austerity measures, which damages […]

Thu 11 December, 09:30-12:45 // European Parliament, Room JAN 6Q1, Brussels
Some 80 million EU employees, the unemployed and particularly the young unemployed will purportedly need to update their skills and qualifications in order to improve their employment prospects and find gainful employment. Creating a sense of self-worth and self-confidence of all EU citizens and enhancing their position and acceptance in society is​ ​just as​ ​important. The validation of non-formal and informal learning is an important​ ​tool in tackling​ ​these challenges.We need strong […]